Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1887-05-17
ROMANCE OF TEE rosario.

II the histories Of the old miners of
Mexico could be collected in one volume
what stories Of patient toll. slavery and
bloedshed could be resnrreoted from
those ancient holes in the ground. Prob
ably none OF the mines could tell
stranger or . saddeF history than one
which II located about twenty miles
north OF Monterey, which Is now being
Feopened by company Of Governor
John O. Brown, of texas, is the presi.
dent, and General George r. Afford, Of
Dallas, the secretary and treasurer.
General Afford has recently returned
from q trip 90 the mines, and, in CONVEX
sAtion with q reporter OF the st, Louis
Republican, told the following story OF
the ancient claim:
THE Rosario mine" be said, Sis L.
Gated four miles west Of the eity Of
Salinas, about twenty miles north OF
Monterey and 40 niles from Laredo
Il was discovered by the SpaniaFds In
1886. and was worked With great prof,
or over century. Iwent down TO take
q look at the property about month
ego, accompanied by Mr.. Oliver. of
Dallas, and while there learned great
dsal in regard 10 its history. The ooen
AsA
the steep side Of the Sierra Madre, and
a winding path leads up 90 il. The way
Ia 30 steep that WIS Almsst overcome
with fatigue before | reached the en-
trance, aRd when We arrived there we
found only a small tunnel tina, a man
could not stand upright in. Having
lighted our torches, We started upon
journey toward Whist seemed 10 me
tse center OF the earth. The Spanisrds
probably first Noticed the groupings on
the outside, and, starting In at that
point, followed the vein ia all It's tortu-
COS wiDdings. The tunnel ct FIRST slants
slightly downward for about two hun-
drod feet, aud then opens iuto large
chamber. From this 1t continues on
directly iotO the mountain for short
distance. the tunnel at this point being
so low that you have 10 crawl through
u, and then 10 turns almost directjv
downward; and here Is a great tree
aotehed for ladder wh oh was placed
In Its present position nsarly 300 wears
ago, and Is sill as hard aud sound As on
the day Il was cut. Passing on throueb
ths tanEel, We came TO another great
chamber, which, a. near as | could
judge BY the light of our torches. was
about 200 feet long aud 20 feet vide and
high. Here | stopped, completely worn
out, while MIR. Oliver and the oaide
vent on. All along the sides Of the tim.
pel and the chambers was any oaan.
tity Of lOW-grade ore, the Spaniards opIv
taking the high grade Of the body of lhe
vein. What labor Il mast have been 10
dig into this blue limestone rock, almost
as hard as granite, With their ofude
tools, no man can conceive.
III seems almost beyond belief that
they could have carried the ore thronoh
all the numerous chambers and xipzaO
windinRs Of the tunnel before reaship0
the great chamber where the bones Of
sixty spaniards lie buried. Bot the mean
slaves managed 10 get throuRh some
way. The great chamber which 1 re-
feFred 10 as entered by Mr.. Oliver ia the
scene OF the last work Of the Spauiards.
and here were left pillars Of the highest
Rrsde OF ore 10 support the roof. In this |
onamber vas enacted the last scene of |
ire trsgedy which caused the abandon
ment OF the mine, and in order 20 under
stand THIS u was necessary 20 IN Ike orr |
way 0at ard down into the beautiful |
valley OF The Monterey. The citizens of |
salinas and Villa del Carmen originated |
sih the opening and development OF |
Zoe mines, and during the many wears
n which the mines were worked these |
villages were IN flourishinR condition.
but, deriving all their support from
bat source, tasy declined when opera.
.ions 30 suddenly ceased. Salinas il |
'oaF mlles from the mouth Of the mine.
~ che line OF the Mexican NATIONAL
kail~ay, while the Villa del Carmen il |
almost at the foot Of tie mountains. In |
he latter place two kundred years sgo |
vas an enormous stene church, the ruins
y which still exist, though covered with
lines.
"Oas day, I suppose almost a century
md a half ago. the Indians attacked the |
own, aud 500 miners fed 10 the great |
'huFch for protection. There they were /
'esieged for many days until. overcome
~ starvation, they surrendered. The /
esult WAS the massacre OF every sinele /
Han- A stone sail about twenfy feet
Ugh was bailt around the place where
hsy we're buried, and 90 this day the
impie natives on a cer.ain dav q the
ear decorate their graves With flowers /
nd Eariaud-. ] climbed the rude stems
Sh,ch lead into the inelnsure, there BE-
ng nO gate, and fnand the Erass green
nd vel kept, while the flowers. which
,ad been plscea there only a fsu DAYS
sefore, were fTesh ard beautiful Wken
be city vas attacked ~ the Indlans
lxty miners made their escare 20 the
Mines. where they cosld have defended
themselves against ans Eambsr OF Iust
.ns. Making their way 90 TIE rres,
'hamber a. the end % TIE sxaavsfiaps
hsy remained there uatil they thoRght
he ltdiaGs had retired. and then. |
y ilsvinG that % would Be impassihIs
OF them 90 30 worktrr the a. Tres. tbsv
iecided 90 take Whft ore tbsy couia utth
ten aud n-ake tbsir escape. Assord
ugiy thuy comEe7es3 taking aowu "a.
'titArs % sim e. soiid silver. Rss,rr 1
eef hNd taken many e Their dO~a a..
oof fell Ia Aaa lhey wtse tnrias
,eneath tEs Cresf ta4ss o. orr, uesre
teiF bonrs SAIL jis.
be records show that ktf 01A an !
oysltv US PAID the hlrs % Spaia Nv
% Nleet5y Of Ac1tso 90 these rrine- |
b 10y Altr csu Andad VA % rssr sar,t /
y tie rFcdnetoo. - that DARN, r.
.ine tee Uioes sers Worktd Al issst |
-saWtstul worth ~ ore wss tAkss On, /
SAT ! telisvp bga1n zstnse vxs IN |
sne SO wears ssN IS 70 i tasisv. Ara |
- IS tfopsry - today assessed a | :
eNs1t Gee afia of Its real vAlae. 80. sfs~, {
ansidefihE thss fsci aad tee fact tsat >
aF - = rsut ravaify as so stored : .
2 AZ iEissttoe, ! pat Il dsxu thai A.
'eea A. fsnttsAtso Worfh ~ or - Fl
"a c7s o. ts0ss m.Ess- Tae orr- | :
10 berg eAzrtas by toe poems tarnash
le io'tnoas vtnd.ugs 81 tee sannsl n :
'e eacaihs 49, sarri@a "a mules enwn G
.e wsua3Ain . tie Te3s suseft.rs. >
lsrr itsre are neU sr~st pil-s Of slack. !,
aeAss i0rt1 f-~t EisA ,wEssa have Isla | 4